A stop block limits saw or drill travel, often used for repetitive cuts. It can be homemade or come with power tools, and must be secured to prevent movement. Steel or magnetic blocks are used in metalworking.
A stop block is a device that limits the travel of a saw when it is being used to cut an object. Stop block variants are also used when drilling an object to prevent the drill bit from penetrating too far into the material. Typically constructed of plastic or aluminum, a home-made version of a stop block can be made by cutting a piece of wood to the correct size and attaching it to the saw’s cradle. Many different types of power tools come from the manufacturer with a stop block attached to the tool itself. This type of stop is typically adjustable and easily set by tightening a set screw against the instrument frame.
Often, a stop block is used when making a repetitive cut along the length of a stock where all cuts need to be the same length and depth. This allows the operator to make multiple identical cuts quickly by simply sliding the material along a guide and inserting the saw into the material. This is especially effective on a radial arm saw where the saw is easily pushed and pulled into the stock. This is especially useful when cutting a number of pieces to a specific length. The retainer can be placed on the saw tray and the butt is pushed firmly against the retainer and cut to size.
In many cases, a pair of locking pliers or a clamp will be used to secure the stop in place on the cutting table. Due to the vibrations and the possibility of contact with the material to be cut, exact measurements must be taken periodically to ensure that the stop has not moved its position. In precision cutting with a wooden fence, the fence must be checked from time to time to make sure that the pushing force of the material has not altered the profile of the fence, which would also alter the length of the cut. Using a hardwood stop block will help eliminate this potential problem.
When using a stop block in a metalworking project such as welding, a steel block is commonly used due to the ability to spot weld the stop into place on the welding table. Similarly, the block can be secured to the bed of the lathe to prevent the tool holder from moving past its intended point on the lathe. For small projects on table saws and other tools that use a metal material holder, a magnetic stop block can be quickly attached and removed when needed.
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